Executive Director
Executive Director Jeffrey Richardson has an extensive background in museum management and historic preservation. He has held key positions at cultural institutions across the country, in cities big and small, from regional history museums and historic houses to Native cultural centers and public gardens. Jeffrey is the author of two books, Colt: The Revolver of the American West and Howard Hughes and the Creation of Modern Hollywood, and he has appeared as an expert commentator on over a dozen television programs, including Mysteries at the Museum, Pawn Stars, Storage Wars, and History Detectives.
A graduate of the University of Florida and Georgia Southern University, Jeffrey’s career began as the curator of Western history, popular culture, and firearms at the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles. He later served as the curator of exhibits for the municipal museum system in Farmington, New Mexico. Shifting into administration, Jeffrey took on the position of director of operations at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History outside Atlanta. Most recently, as the director of operations for Historic Columbia in South Carolina, Jeffrey managed daily activities across six historic buildings, including a National Historic Landmark, and 14 acres of manicured landscapes spread over 10 city blocks.
Jeffrey is honored and humbled to use his professional experience to lead the McFaddin-Ward House. He especially enjoys working with the talented staff and dedicated board. Always mindful of the visitor experience, he seeks to enhance the McFaddin-Ward House’s impact in the community and expand its reputation across the region by spotlighting our shared cultural and historical heritage.